"When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, five great dreams appeared to him. Which five?

"When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, this great earth was his great bed. The Himalayas, king of mountains, was his pillow. His left hand rested in the eastern sea, his right hand in the western sea, and both feet in the southern sea. When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, this was the first great dream that appeared to him.

"Furthermore, when the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, a woody vine growing out of his navel stood reaching to the sky. When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, this was the second great dream that appeared to him.

"Furthermore, when the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, white worms with black heads crawling up from his feet covered him as far as his knees. When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, this was the third great dream that appeared to him.

"Furthermore, when the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, four different-colored birds coming from the four directions fell at his feet and turned entirely white. When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, this was the fourth great dream that appeared to him.

"Furthermore, when the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, he walked back & forth on top of a giant mountain of excrement but was not soiled by the excrement. When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, this was the fifth great dream that appeared to him.

"Now, when the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, and this great earth was his great bed, the Himalayas, king of mountains, was his pillow, his left hand rested in the eastern sea, his right hand in the western sea, and both feet in the southern sea: this first great dream appeared to let him know that he would awaken to the unexcelled right self-awakening.

"When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, and a woody vine growing out of his navel stood reaching to the sky: this second great dream appeared to let him know that when he had awakened to the noble eightfold path, he would proclaim it well as far as there are human & celestial beings.

"When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, and white worms with black heads crawling up from his feet covered him as far as his knees: this third great dream appeared to let him know that many white-clothed householders would go for life-long refuge to the Tathagata.

"When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, and four different-colored birds coming from the four directions fell at his feet and turned entirely white: this fourth great dream appeared to let him know that people from the four castes — brahmans, noble-warriors, merchants, and laborers — having gone forth from the home life into homelessness in the Dhamma & Vinaya taught by the Tathagata, would realize unexcelled release.

"When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, and he walked back & forth on top of a giant mountain of excrement but was not soiled by the excrement: this fifth great dream appeared to let him know that the Tathagata would receive gifts of robes, alms food, lodgings, & medicinal requisites to cure the sick, but he would use them unattached to them, uninfatuated, guiltless, seeing the drawbacks [of attachment to them], and discerning the escape from them.

"When the Tathagata — worthy & rightly self-awakened — was still just an unawakened bodhisatta, these five great dreams appeared to him."

Monks, before the Tathāgata, the Arahat, the Fully Enlightened One attained enlightenment,while he was still a bodhisatta, five great dreams appeared to him. What five?

He dreamt that this mighty earth was his great bedstead; the Himālaya, king of mountains,was his pillow; his left hand rested on the eastern sea, his right hand on the western sea; his twofeet on the southern sea. This, monks, was the first dream that appeared to the Tathāgata whilehe was still a bodhisatta.

Again, he dreamt that from his navel arose a kind of grass called tiriyā and continuedgrowing until it touched the clouds. This, monks, was the second great dream....Again, he dreamt that white worms with black heads crawled on his legs up to his knees,covering them. This, monks, was the third great dream....

Again, he dreamt that four birds of different colours came from the four directions, fell at hisfeet and turned all white. This, monks, was the fourth great dream....

Again, he dreamt that he climbed up a huge mountain of dung without being soiled by thedung. This, monks, was the fifth great dream....

Now when the Tathāgata, while still a bodhisatta, dreamt that the mighty earth was hisbedstead, the Himālaya, king of mountains, his pillow ... this first dream was a sign that hewould awaken to unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

When he dreamt of the tiriyā grass growing from his navel up to the clouds, this second greatdream was a sign that he would fully understand the Noble Eightfold Path and would proclaimit well among devas and humans.

When he dreamt of the white worms with black heads crawling on his legs up to his kneesand covering them, this third great dream was a sign that many white-clad householders wouldgo for refuge to the Tathāgata until the end of their lives.

When he dreamt of four birds of different colours coming from all four directions and, fallingat his feet, turning white, this fourth great dream was a sign that members of the four castes—nobles, brahmins, commoners and menials—would go forth into homelessness in the Doctrineand Discipline taught by the Tathāgata and would realize the unsurpassed liberation.

When he dreamt of climbing up a huge mountain of dung without being soiled by it, this fifthgreat dream was a sign that the Tathāgata would receive many gifts of robes, alms-food,dwellings and medicines, and he would make use of them without being tied to them, withoutbeing infatuated with them, without being committed to them, seeing the danger and knowingthe escape.

These are the five great dreams that appeared to the Tathāgata, the Arahat, the FullyEnlightenment One, before he attained enlightenment, while he was still a bodhisatta.

Hi, Mikezen. Not sure what to say about these. Can't relate at all. My only thought is that dreams are a very personal thing, and perhaps only have meaning to the dreamer as they in fact arose from factors withing their minds. Buddha was a bodhisatta at the time, so he was pretty much as human as the rest of us.

That's all I got. Hopefully, someone more wiser and more insightful than me will have a better take on this one. I will just sit, drink a cup of coffee and read.

What Makes an Elder? :A head of gray hairs doesn't mean one's an elder. Advanced in years, one's called an old fool.But one in whom there is truth, restraint, rectitude, gentleness,self-control, he's called an elder, his impurities disgorged, enlightened.-Dhammpada, 19, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.